. . . of most interest to Bennet was Mr. Darcy of Pemberley.When Fitzwilliam Darcy attends the Meryton assembly, he befriends a quiet, intelligent gentleman. In frequent visits to his friend’s home, he becomes acquainted with the Bennet family of Longbourn. Yet Mr. Darcy is distracted by a strange feeling of having met some of them before.This is a different Bennet family from the cleverly … the cleverly crafted one in Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. This Mr. Bennet is a responsible gentleman who takes an active role in the education and upbringing of all five of his daughters, manages Longbourn to be prosperous, and displays loving guidance toward Mrs. Bennet—a gentle, caring mother and wife.
There is a mystery lurking at Longbourn—a secret unknown even to Elizabeth Bennet—and Mr. Darcy is entangled in its extraordinary revelations.
Who is Thomas Bennet?
This book contains one brief scene of non‑explicit sexual violence that may be concerning to sensitive readers. The sexual violence does not include Elizabeth Bennet.
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“Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Rating: MA-R: Mature Audience: R-rating: Contains scenes of a sexual nature. There was a brief scene of a sexual assault, an attack, a graphic, sexually explicit daydream, self-gratification, and sensual encounters. Yeah, it got a bit racy at times.
It never occurred to me, until I read this story, that there was a lynchpin in the canon version of the P&P story. Teachers are well aware of this phenomenon in the classroom. There is a hierarchy of influence or control… usually, one student, that is considered a lynchpin. The lynch-pin is someone that is necessary/central, in or to a situation or conflict, and has an effect, control, or influence over said situation… an instigator or lieutenant, in other words. Often times, you can remove that person and the situation changes, even the atmosphere will change.
Thomas Bennet was the lynch-pin within the canon Bennet household. His indolent manner of handling things was reflected in his treatment of his wife and her response to him and external conditions [her nerves and needing salts or other such attention garnering devices]. His favor of his eldest daughters over his neglect of his silly younger daughters. His response to advice or warnings [against Lydia going to Brighton].
It also applied to his management of [or lack thereof] the Longbourn Estate [cause and effect, lower yields… lower-income per annum]. The Longbourn financial situation, management of and/or mismanagement of household and estate funds [no savings for his daughters]. Change him and everything changes. And that was exactly what happened. Once Thomas Bennet’s character changed, his influence on Mrs. Bennet and his daughters… also changed the makeup of the family.
“I find the best way to love someone is not to change them, but instead, help them reveal the greatest version of themselves.” Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience
At first, we experience flashbacks of both the Bennet and the Lord Shelton storylines. It was hard keeping them straight. However, once we had a bead on the main story, we could progress.
As I read about the daily lives of the Bennet girls, it was like being in a house of mirrors that distorts the reflection. There was a disconcerting feeling as I first started reading this book. The Bennet family was unlike any Bennet family that we have read about before in JAFF. It was, as one reviewer put it, an alternate universe. To me, it felt a bit like a ‘bizarro world’ or better yet… Stepford Wives. I kept thinking, who are these people? What did they do with the real characters? These automatons were just too perfect to be believed. They were beautiful, dressed beautifully, created their own fashions, intelligent, and proficient in all those areas where young ladies are considered accomplished. I kept scratching my head, as I read about their actions and behaviors.
Don’t get me wrong, but… really, you NEVER see the following words used in reference to the Bennet girls or their mother… ever: proper upbringing, under control, with dignity, politely, sense and honor, tasteful, proper lady, and sense of propriety, just to name a few. And that included Lydia also, who along with Kitty, was not out in society… as was proper. See what I mean?
In fact, in this story, Lydia and Elizabeth spent a lot of time together. I almost called it an unholy alliance. But there you have it. And none of the girls were enamored with Wickham and his sob stories. In fact, they decided to warn their friends to not be swayed by him, as he didn’t seem sincere. OMG!! However, despite their caveat, ONE of their friends didn’t heed the warning… to her detriment. You stupid, stupid girl, what have you done?
Not all of the Bennet girls were perfect in their ways. Elizabeth Bennet, when in the presence of Mr. Darcy, simply could not help herself and became a menace to her place within the female sex. She was determined to best him in every way, intellect, chess, her quest for knowledge of science, mechanical inventions, and how things worked. I just wanted to tell her to shut—it—up! She got on my last nerve. Half the stuff she was questioning him about wasn’t even relevant as the innovations were disproved or discontinued. I thought the discussions were too in-depth, unnecessary, and didn’t add to the story. Her intellect could have been demonstrated in another way.
Elizabeth did and said the most stupid things and was constantly getting herself in trouble. If someone tells you that there might be trouble from Wickham, and/or that you are in danger… you should freaking LISTEN to what they have to say. Her stubborn independence nearly got her killed, hurt, maimed, and/or accosted on more than one occasion. I wanted to tell Darcy… RUN… do not walk… run away from this TSTL [too-stupid-to-live], foolish woman. She will drive you crazy, or get herself or you killed with her stubborn foolishness. You don’t need this. Dang… she just had to walk out alone. And, just so you know, I hope it leaves a scar… she deserves a forever reminder of her foolishness. The ending and the epilogue was a bit sluggish and didn’t come to a smooth conclusion. There were still a few threads that could have ended more smoothly. I liked the story but didn’t love it.